Dave600hL

Ok, so please tell me what driver involvement means on 5000lb cars? On a LUXURY car that meant to give the passengers a comfortable ride as much as the driver.

Oh , thats right, I forgot I was going to take mine to the track and see what it could do. Anyone know the time the LS does around the ring compared to S63? B/c my next car will be based on which one is faster around the ring.

LexFather

There is a legitimate difference of opinion like "I prefer the S-class to the LS because of its prestige" versus flaming and ridiculous opinions like "the LS is a horrible car and not in its right class".

You need to stop saying "Clublexus members" like its the entire forum. Not to mention you maybe need to realize something;

mmarshall

Mike is totally right on this. The deliberate abandonment of the traditional big, soft-riding American luxury-car market by Buick, Cadillac, and Lincoln is nothing short of ludicrous. The Lincoln MKS flagship, at least has an AWD option, which was needed, but still, its ride is a long way from the Town Car's.
Ditto the new LaCrosse, with its AWD option as well...that is an improvement, but Buick, unfortunately, seems intent on dropping the Lucerne that provided a more-or-less true flagship.

I'll withold more comment on the new Park Avenue until I see it for myself, but, from the looks of the picture, it doesn't seem to be the size of the old Park Avenue (or the present Lucerne) by any means.

mmarshall

Dave also makes a good point. A true luxury car, as I see it, places a soft, comfortable ride, soft seat cushions, plush trim, and a plush interior above all else. That is different from a sport-sedan/performance-car, which is meant for responsive feedback to the driver's inputs. Trying to combine the two, IMO, is like mixing apples and oranges, although some BMW, Mercedes, and Audi models have admittedly done a generally good job of it by good chassis engineering and variable-damping suspensions. Among those three makes, though, the non-AMG Mercedes S-Class is probably the best example of true luxury-car engineering, with superb ride comfort......Consumer Reports calls it the best ride they have found on a mass-production car.

RoyAlder

I think it could work. As a long, long time Lexus owner, IMO, some of todays Lexus models do not hold up well against the cars that the brand was orginally designed to compete against.

The LS is a fine car though, but I have heard Buick makes the quitest cars on the road.

caddyowner

I've driven a lot of Buicks, but none have come close to the level of quiet in the cabin of my LS430. They are quieter than most other GM cars, though, even some Cadillacs.

BTW, I think Chrysler wins the title of least reliable (or quitest), especially once all that Fix It Again Tony engineering is introduced.

blessed

[QUOTE=1SICKLEX;5696122]The future Caddy XTS is a FWD car.

They need to use the same tenacity on the Caddy XTS as they did on the CTS-V. The CTS-V outran the BMW M5. Front wheel drive is a mistake, but i did hear that it would be all-wheel-drive. GM can compete and especially Ford it's good to see America trying to make good cars again.

blessed

You think that Lexus it up there with BMW and MB I don't know about that. Don't get me wrong the Lexus is a great auto but I don't think much compares to and S600 or a loaded S-550.

caddyowner

Many American drivers, probably most living in places that get any snow, won't consider a RWD car anymore and think AWD is too heavy, complex, and trouble-prone. A former co-worker owned a series of Cadillacs and commented that his brother bought a current generation STS. I asked whether the STS was RWD or AWD. He looked puzzled and said he thought all Cadillacs since the mid-90s were FWD. He said he wouldn't touch a RWD car anymore.

One of my neighbors works for GM and bought his wife a new 07 CTS. I sold him the winter tires and wheels off my old CTS. After a year, the CTS was gone, replaced by a Buick Lucerne. He said his wife hated the way the CTS drove in the winter, even with the snow tires.

Cadillac will come out with another large luxury car with a transverse engine with FWD and optional AWD. Ford did the same thing with the MKS. If they are smart, they will leave RWD for the smaller, performance oriented luxury cars like CTS. The FWD / AWD SRX is far outselling the old RWD / AWD SRX. Sales of the RWD / AWD STS are moribund. Buick should also stick with FWD / AWD platforms except for a smaller, performance oriented car.

Dave600hL

Yep, that why I went with the LS600hL... Oh , that right, I am a member of Club Lexus so that automatically means I support Lexus Cars. Funny thing is I bought my Lexus way before I joined this forum.

mmarshall

Virtually nothing can compete with the LS for quietness, including any Buick.

mikemareen

I dunno but the new lacross is looking mighty fine on the streets! I think buick hit the spot on the lacross but the lukewarm warranty makes it a little difficult to take the plunge.....

IS-SV

Buick is learning to do luxury in the modern era for more demanding buyers, good news.

Benwilliam

All of those firsts are wonderful, but it is not as if the newest Audi A8, or BMW 7Series also doesn't have a host of "world's first". That line is simply a line from the PR department of said automaker and nothing more. Touting an electronic parking brake as a world first? That's a feature on numerous Saabs, Volvo's, Land Rovers, VW, etc. Nothing to write home about as a world first, in my opinion.

The LS is a wonderful car, *is* the best sedan from Japan, but I just don't feel it is class-leading as it used to be, that's my opinion. I am not trying to insult anybody who owns the said product.

I regret stating I would not enter this thread again, but I was taunted into it by another member who obviously took what I said as a personal insult, which is not the case.


I don't agree that the lifeless steering on the LS is a good thing. The S-Class has a much better tradeoff here, in my opinion, and from thorough driving in both sedans. I am sorry if this offends people who own the product, but on any forum there are differing opinions. I agree with the member who stated that we don't need one line of reasoning shoved down everyones throats, or rudely insulted and treated as if they are crazy when they purport their own opinions. I don't find my own opinion full of any falsehoods and stand by it entirely.

Good day.

Benwilliam

No one person decides what is "legitimate". I find my own opinion perfectly legitimate. Further, nobody stated "the LS is a horrible car and not in its right class", you are creating entirely false narratives here, Sir. No need to insult others simply because you can't seem to understand where they are coming from. Like I said, I am no the only one who feels the way I do.